Arthur Hardy: Mardi Gras Plans March Forward

A significant number of krewes, including 25 of the 33 krewes
that rolled in New Orleans this year, intend to roll in 2006,
according to Arthur Hardy, publisher of the popular Mardi Gras
Guide.

Here's the latest update from Hardy, who is keeping close track
of developing plans for Carnival 2006 - a season that officially
kicks off Jan. 6 and culminates this year on Fat Tuesday, Feb.
28. (More Mardi Gras details, photos and video here)

With the first parade of the 2006 season less than 19 weeks away,
there is a flurry of activity in Carnival circles. Next week
several meetings are planned by Mardi Gras' movers and shakers,
including ones by the West Bank Carnival clubs and the Jefferson
Parish United Carnival Captains' Association. Mardi Gras will also
be discussed at next Wednesday's New Orleans City Council meeting
and will be a topic at the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging
Association's meeting.

Mardi Gras Guide publisher Arthur Hardy spoke with representatives
of 25 of the 33 Mardi Gras krewes that paraded this year in
Orleans Parish. Surprisingly, 24 clubs announced their intentions
to parade next year. The list includes Alla, Aladdin, Babylon,
Bacchus, Carrollton, Chaos, D'Etat, Druids, Endymion, Iris, King
Arthur, Mid-City, Morpheus, Muses, Okeanos, Orpheus, Proteus,
Pygmalion, Rex, Shangri-La , Sparta, Thoth, Tucks and Zulu.

The krewes of Adonis and Choctaw hope to parade in the City of
Gretna, while in Jefferson Parish, ten krewes have committed to
parade -Aquila, Argus Caesar, Centurions, Excalibur, Isis,
Jason, Rhea, Thor and Zeus.

In a gesture of regional support, Jefferson Parish President Aaron
Broussard is developing a plan to host any krewe displaced by
Hurricane Katrina.

Despite personal and financial losses, krewe captains say they and
their members are prepared to make sacrifices in order to parade.
They feel a civic responsibility to stage Mardi Gras as a symbol
of the region's recovery.

While the Carnival community is very sensitive to the bigger
picture of loss of life and property and the recent layoffs of
city employees, they say that immediate action is required if
citizens and visitors are to enjoy Mardi Gras in February. Until
their parade permits are issued, many krewes are holding off
finalizing their plans. If the original parade schedule is to be
adjusted, krewes must know the date of their parades so that
out-of-town riders can change air and hotel reservations. Captains
of smaller organizations wonder if the parishes will relax existing
ordinances relative to the minimum number of bands and floats
required. Other concerns deal with parade routes, the piggybacking
of parades, the availability of hotel rooms and the condition of
Carnival ball venues such as the Morris F. X. Jeff Municipal
Auditorium, the Pontchartrain Center and the Ernest Morial
Convention Center.

As one captain told Hardy, "The challenges are huge, but together,
we can do this. "

"2006 was already primed to be a special year since it marks the
150th anniversary of Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. Now it has
an even greater significance," claims Arthur Hardy.